MLS Talk and the U.S. Men’s U-23 Qualifiers

We here at MLS Talk are guilty of one thing: we like to try new things. We’ve had some successes and failures over the years, but we are trying new ways to not only provide important information about the matches that occur (like strategy and analysis) but new ways to bring the U.S. soccer community together to discuss those matches. Whether it’s the best supporters’ section in MLS contest or Earl’s insightful use of the “whiteboard” to break down tactics, we try to do things differently and better than other sites.

So with the first U.S. men’s Olympic qualifier tonight, your writers are doing something a little different to cover the game. Earl Reed and I will be doing a post-game live chat immediately after each qualifier which will be open to all of our readers. In the past, we’ve done live chats during First Kick or the MLS Cup, but this one will be slightly different. So why are we doing a live chat after and not during the games?

Doing analysis after the game allows Earl and I to provide immediate feedback and analysis of the games. Instead of waiting until the next day to see what happened, you can visit the site immediately after the game to see tactically and strategically how the game went down. Or, if you are busy during the game, visit a few hours later or the next morning to get a sense of how the game went down.

For those who miss the game, a post-game recap is a succinct way to see how it all went down. It also allows us to have immediate analysis on the site, which you can access beginning the final whistle is blown.

The post-game chat also allows readers to weigh in immediately. Like how the U.S. played? Have concerns about Caleb Porter’s strategy? Let it out while Earl and I offer our own thoughts on what occurred during the match.

We will be doing live post-match chats after each of the Olympic qualifiers: today v. Cuba at 9 PM EDT, Saturday v. Canada at 7:00 PM EDT, and Monday v. El Salvador at 9:00 PM EDT. Check back at the site for your chance to sound off on how the U.S. team does and, if the format works for our readers, you’ll see us continue past the group stage.